What it means
Brat is that messy-hot, hyper-confident, couldn't-care-less vibe that's worn on purpose. Not the old spoiled-kid insult so much as a compliment for someone, a look, or a whole season that feels chaotic, self-aware, and fully in on its own glam little disaster.
Usage examples
"Messy hair, neon top, zero apologies, that outfit is so brat."
"She had a real brat summer, doing whatever she pleased."
"She's got smudged eyeliner, a tiny bag, and zero interest in behaving. Pure brat."
"Not gonna lie, that whole lime-green chaos is very brat and it works."
Where it comes from
Brat existed long before the trend as a word for a badly behaved or spoiled child. Its newer slang glow-up took off hard in 2024 after Charli XCX's album Brat, where the word got flipped into praise for messy confidence, party-girl nerve, and unapologetic self-styling.
Other ways to say it
This expression also appears in
